Rajya Sabha polls in Kerala: Vayalar Ravi to be Congress candidate

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress in Kerala has decided to field former Union Minister and sitting Rajya Sabha member Vayalar Ravi for the upcoming polls to the Upper House from the state.

The decision was taken during a meeting of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC President V M Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.

The state leadership would forward the name of Ravi to the party central leadership and later, an official announcement would be made, party sources said.

Meawhile, CPI(M) state committee member K K Ragesh would be the be candidate of LDF. He was the former All India General Secretary of CPI(M) student wing Students Federation of India. The decision was taken by CPI(M) state secretariat.

Besides Ravi, the term of P Rajeev (CPI-M) and M P Achuthan (CPI) in the Upper House is expiring next month.

As per present strength in the state Assembly, the ruling UDF can win two seats and CPI(M)-led LDF opposition one.

Indications are there that the remaining winnable seat of UDF would be contested by Indian Union Muslim League, the second largest partner in the ruling front. Election for the three seats is scheduled to be held on April 16.